Skipping school to travel

Heather Greenwood Davis has few qualms about pulling her children out of school for shortterm trips - a practice she plans to continue in the future.

In fact, the Toronto-based travel writer is such a firm believer in the benefits of learning beyond the classroom that in 2011, she took a yearlong globe-trotting journey with her husband and sons (then aged six and eight).

Greenwood Davis documented their adventures - which spanned six continents and 29 countries - on her website, Globetrotting Mama.

"I know the value that travel has brought to my life, even as an adult, and how many times I've been places where I've wished: 'Gosh, if I had seen this when they were trying to teach me out of the geography book or history book, it really would have sat with me better,' " she said in a recent interview.

"Outside of strict educational channels, too, we talk about socializing kids, instilling confidence and all of those sorts of things - and travel offers all of that."

As a travel adviser, Sheila Gallant-Halloran said her busiest periods at work are when her clients are on vacation, such as March Break and the summer. That's one of the reasons the mother of two daughters, aged 14 and eight, has previously allowed them to miss school to help accommodate the occasional family vacation, such as a fall trip to Walt Disney World in Florida or an extended break for travel around Easter. "Work commitment is the biggest thing for me. But certainly there are price considerations," said Gallant-Halloran, Ottawa-based luxury travel adviser with Vision Travel/Lush Life. "I have a lot of teacher clients, for example, they can only go on (vacation during) March Break ... it is very difficult for them to take off other times.

"As a result, they're going for when the majority of people are trying to travel with their children, so they're paying higher costs for flights."

Having children miss several days, a week or more from school for nonessential travel may prove appealing to parents looking to squeeze in family getaways within busy work schedules or seeking to save with last-minute deals.

But a British couple with three children recently paid a high price when their kids missed class.

Natasha and Stewart Sutherland had booked a weeklong fall trip to Greece a year in advance. Previously, the Department of Education allowed teachers to grant leaves of absence for family holidays during the school term in "special circumstances" of up to 10 school days per year.

But amendments enacted last September removed references to family holiday and extended leave, as well the "statutory threshold" of 10 school days.

The Sutherlands were forced to pay more than more than $1,800 in costs and fines. Meanwhile, an online petition seeking a reversal of the amended rules has gathered more than 200,000 signatures.

Representat ives for public school boards in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver said that cases are addressed on an individual basis, and the decision on whether kids will miss class ultimately rests with the parents, provided they obtain proper clearances from school officials.

Greenwood Davis emphasized the importance of providing ample notice about a potential trip to find out what may be covered during that period and determine if it's a good time for the child to be away.

"You might change your mind once you hear that they're studying something you know your child's struggling with. So I think that notice is really important," said Greenwood Davis, whose sons are now 11 and nine.